Ogunquit Morning (Morning Conclave)

1925

Paul Bartlett had strong ties to North Carolina: he moved to Charlotte in 1944 and taught at The Mint Museum as well as Charlotte Country Day School before taking a position at Guilford College, where he was a professor until his death in 1965. He studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Académie Julian in Paris, as well as with John Sloan in New York.

Ogunquit, Maine, the site of this painting, was a popular artists colony in the opening decades of the 20th century, providing a welcome communal respite for artists working in urban centers such as New York. Bartlett used a colorful palette and simplified forms, (both of which are evidence of his knowledge of recent trends in modern art), to create this charming scene depicting women and children enjoying a warm summer day.